Samoa is preparing to lift its ban on turkey tails as part of conditions set when it joined the World Trade Organisation a year ago.

Transcript

Samoa is preparing to lift its ban on turkey tails as part of conditions set when it joined the World Trade Organisation a year ago.

The high-fat turkey offcuts have been off the menu since 2007, when the Samoan government banned imports to lower high rates of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Our correspondent in Apia, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia told Sally Round the Attorney General is now considering legislation which would only allow turkey tails in for personal consumption and high duty attached.

AUTAGAVAIA: The ban was only imposed because of the concern of the government, based on health data on NCDs, or non-communicable diseases, because turkey tails are 99% fatty. Since we banned the turkey tails for five years now, the health data on NCDs is still increasing. I think the government is still trying to control these kinds of imported meats coming into Samoa which are not safe. Even though there are other substitute foods like local pork or imported pork - mutton flaps, for example, from New Zealand and frozen chicken.

ROUND: How big a part did turkey tails play in the diet of people in Samoa before the ban came into effect?

AUTAGAVAIA: It was one of the cheapest meats in the local shops. Currently, the cheapest meat we are buying from the local shops is chicken leg quarters. The health department continues to advise people on how to prepare food to avoid using fat - use a lot of vegetables, eat a lot of fruit - just for the health, non-stop advising people. But it's the people's choice. I ask the question why there would be such a big move like that specifically on turkey tails, while other meat like mutton flaps from New Zealand, there is a concern by our Pacific leaders and people here about New Zealand importing mutton flaps with so much fat.

ROUND: And no tariffs on that?

AUTAGAVAIA: There are no tariffs on that.

ROUND: So do people in Samoa feel there's a double standard here? Are they a bit at a loss to understand why the turkey tail ban has been in place all these years, yet they're still getting fatty food from other sources?

AUTAGAVAIA: It's hard for people to say that there's a double-standard move on this issue between the mutton flaps from New Zealand and the turkey tails from the United States. The problem with the mutton flaps at the moment, it's so expensive and people can't afford to buy it. The mutton flaps' price is going very high. And I think maybe it's another reason to put up the prices to stop people from eating fatty mutton flaps. But then the question comes, so what's the point of importing fatty mutton flaps? The other thing that I was told on the re-import of turkey tails, there would be 300% tariff the government is looking to impose on the import of turkey tails for personal use. It's another measure from the government just to stop people from buying turkey tails from overseas.